Orlando - West of Disney

Accommodations:

Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate

Location:

ChampionsGate, International
Designed by Greg Norman in 2000. The style of this unique course will be familiar to those who have played the great old courses of Scotland and Ireland. The International Course offers hard, fast fairways and bunkers that could have been shaped by the winds off the North Sea. This is truly one of America's most distinctive golf challenges. The long par 5 eighth is a prime example; favor the left side all the way on this hole - the sand dunes are preferable to the water on the right. Approach shots that miss the green left, right or long are headed for trouble, making the center of the green the prudent target. This track also boasts the highest course rating in the state of Florida at 76.3. If you’re crazy enough to play it from the tips, your distance is over 7400 yards.

ChampionsGate, National
Greg Norman also created this impressive American style course, featuring the best traditions of modern U.S. golf course design. Golfers will long remember the memorable par 3 holes, awesome bunkering, and daunting tee shots. A prime example of one of these beauties is #2. You need to carry cavernous bunkers, plus avoid them to the left of the green. Aim for the center of the green regardless of pin placement. The only safe bail out is long. This track is definitely a treat for golfers who enjoy the opportunity to use every club in their bag and play every type of shot. From the back boxes the course measure just over 7,000 yards. Over all, this layout is less penal than its big brother.
 

Celebration Golf Club
Golfers are in for a rare treat; the first collaboration of Robert Trent Jones Senior and Junior in 30 years. It’s located in the cheerful Disney planned community of Celebration. Don’t worry, you will not see anything artificial or make believe, just a great course weaving its way though sculpted, tree-laden wetland with nicely placed clusters of pine, magnolia and oak trees and a series of pristine lakes. Most holes have generous landing areas, but water appears on 17 holes; only #2 is dry. There are some great golf holes here. My favorite is the 16th, a 211-yard par 3 that features a 200 yard tee shot over water onto a three-leaf clover green protected by two small bunkers and a deceptive left side with mounds and a cupped fringe. I wished I had my four-leaf clover with me on this one.

Falcon’s Fire Golf Club
This Rees Jones masterpiece is first class from the free valet parking as you arrive to the outstanding beverages on the 19th hole. Let me tell you they move some dirt around this place back in 1993. With the excavation of two large lakes, they used the fill for an unusual perimeter mounding throughout the golf course. The lakes dominate the back nine with the 12th thought the 17th playing around them. Throw in the 128 bunkers and you have one tough track. The 13th is the signature hole. This 394-yard dogleg right requires an accurate 250-yard drive down the fairway to the elbow where a series of bunkers rise on your left. More bunkers on the left and the lake on the right hem in the roller-coaster terrain on the approach. The green slopes diagonally left to right to front with wall-to-wall left-side sand and 45-degree drop off on the right side to the lake. This is only the 8th lowest handicap hole, ouch!